Rajasthan Royals hosted and defeated Mumbai Indians in IPL 2024 match on Monday in Jaipur. RR retains their position at the top, while MI is left gasping for air after their 5th loss.
Meanwhile, the match marked MI Captain and all-rounder Hardik Pandya’s 100th IPL match. Pandya had started his IPL career with MI before shifting to Gujrat Titans, playing as their Captain. However, Pandya made a comeback to his first IPL team as the captain this year, after replacing Rohit Sharma.
Pandya’s team is currently placed at number 7 on the points table with 3 wins and 5 losses. The NRR for Mumbai Indians is currently -0.227 giving them a very low chance, if any, at winning the series.
Pandya dodges Malinga thrice
Hardik Pandya is under scrutiny of MI fans as cases of his misbehaviour with his fellow teammates keep arising. Initially the fans were left enraged at his behaviour with Mumbai Indian’s ex-captain Rohit Sharma.
The speculations have now risen with video footage of Pandya seemingly ignoring Lasith Malinga and dodging his affection. The incident has reportedly been repeated thrice.
First was when earlier in the season, during MI’s 31-run loss against Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Malinga avoided sitting next to Hardik when Kieron Pollard offered the captain to sit after his dismissal. Malinga stopped Pollard in his act, got up from his chair and walked away. In the same game, after MI’s defeat, as the players shook hands, Hardik dodged a hug from Malinga and went forward to shake hands with SRH players. The third incident took place when Malinga presented Hardik with a new jersey with the number 100 written on it (for Pandya’s 100th match in IPL)
Pandya plays his 100th IPL match
Hardik Pandya achieved a huge milestone in his cricket career as the all-rounder featured in his 100th IPL match on Sunday. Pandya is the seventh player from Mumbai Indians to achieve this feat, after Rohit Sharma, Kieron Pollard, Harbhajan Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Lasith Malinga, and Ambati Rayudu.
On the big occasion, Hardik was presented with a special jersey, with ‘100’ written on the back. The shirt was handed over by MI bowling coach and member of that 100-IPL club, Lasith Malinga. After the end of the first innings, as the MI team regrouped with Hardik ready to give a pep talk, Malinga made the special gesture.
Just as Malinga reached out to hug Hardik, congratulating him on his achievement, Pandya dodged it ans moved out of the way. The former Sri Lankan fast bowler then proceeded to walk away, causing no fuss.
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